$6m classroom block to transform school's campus

Investigative Reporter·NZ Herald·

15 Apr, 2014 04:15 PM2 mins to read

An artist's impression of a new building proposed for Auckland Grammar School.

Auckland Grammar School is set to be transformed by a multi-million-dollar building project.

The school will build a $6.4 million classroom block at the heart of its campus on Mountain Rd, Epsom.

The 16-room, three-storey building will be connected to the school's historic main building and is expected to be opened in time for the start of next year.

Headmaster Tim O'Connor said the development would remove parking for around 60 cars within the main part of the school campus, making it much more pedestrian-friendly.

"We are landscaping that entire area for the use of students during the school day ... it will become very user-friendly and will provide very good linkages between blocks."

The new building, dubbed "Augusta 2015", will cost $6.4 million.

The Ministry of Education will contribute $2.4 million, and the school has kicked-off the biggest fundraising campaign in its history to make up the difference.

Grammar wanted to go beyond the standard building government funding would provide, Mr O'Connor said, and he was sure its community would support that.

He was confident the new modern building would fit in practically and aesthetically with the school's five historic buildings.

It will replace pre-fab classrooms sited at the far end of the school on the corner of Mountain Rd and Clive Rd.

"We have worked with the Historic Places [Trust] in terms of how this building will sit on our campus, we are very conscious that we really are a conservation site.

"Hopefully as you come on site you will get a bit of a theme with our buildings, but it won't compete with the main block."